A lost, young love
by WiseAvenger
Summary: Unohana reminisces about her past and remembers her childhood, shared with a certain someone named Ukitake Jushiro.
1. A life that once was

"The Captain sure looks troubled these days, huh?" Hanataro asked, drily. "She hasn't been herself lately. Isane-san, what do you think is the problem?"

Isane looked at him doubtfully for a second and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. When I ask her what's wrong, she simply shakes her head and tells me everything's fine. But I sure am worried."

"Same here." He paused working for a while and stretched his arms. "I wonder what's wrong..."

"Well, I guess it isn't our problem anymore. We better get back to work."

The tone in Isane's voice suggested complete obedience. His reply was quick. "Oh, yes, of course."

Both of them stood up from where they sat, preparing some medical tools. Lately, the percentage of injured shinigamis have sky-rocketed. No one knows why. Rumors going around Soul Society say that someone powerful could be pulling the strings from behind the curtain. It could mean only one thing: more work for the 4th Division. Hanataro inwardly sighed. Working over-time never added anything to their salary.

"Isane." Unohana called out suddenly from outside. "Will you please sit here for a minute?"

Isane looked back. "Oh, yes." The vice-captain walked up to her and sat down. "Is there anything I can get for you?"

"Isane," The Captain said after a long pause. "Do you think memories are important?"

"Oh, well..." The other replied, blushing. "Well, maybe they are since memories are a part of our past life. And we ought to cherish and remember once in a while, right?"

She smiled. "Of course they are... What was I thinking?" She gazed ahead of her, to the far, far blue horizon of listless white clouds. Her eyes were cloudy, as if she was in the state of a daze, a dream of some sort. Isane could not determine what kind of dream it was: whether it was a happy or a sad one.

"Umm... Captain, may I ask you something?"

"Yes, what is it?" The Captain replied without looking at her.

"Is there... something wrong?"

Unohana looked at her and smiled wanly. "No, no, there's no need to worry. Nothing's wrong."

"Oh, okay..."

Unohana resumed her far-away gaze and Isane, seeing that she was no longer needed, rushed off to her assigned work: tending to the sick and wounded. Upon noticing that she was alone, the Captain sighed and looked at the shiny, wooden floor.

_Will those ever come back?_

She closed her eyes for a moment and memories, little by little, came back.

_**Years and years ago...  
**_

_"Unohana-san! Let's take a walk! You know even smart students need a break once in a while."_

_Unohana looked up and sighed. She proceeded to close her book as she realized who the person was. She looked up at her friend's familiar face and smiled. "Sure."_

_"Well, it's almost sun down! We'd better get going now!"_

_"Alright."_

_Unohana left her books on the bench and joined up with her female friend, Ayame. The sky was like a vast sea of orange, dotted here and there by pink, wispy clouds. The yellow daffodils on every hill bobbed their bright heads up and down, in time with the music of a far-away flute. A few butterflies flitted in and out of the tall blades of grass. Insects buzzed in the air. A few people were hanging lighted lamps outside their homes to prepare for the dusk that was coming in qiuck.  
_

_"See? Didn't I tell you? It's great in here when it's sun down!" Ayame laughed, gaily. Her laughter sounded like a thousand silver bells struck all at the same time. "Come on! Or you'll have to chase me!"_

_"Wait, Ayame-san! You know it's dangerous at night. Please slow down a bit! I can't keep up with you."_

_But Ayame wouldn't wait. She ran and ran towards the forest where it was dark. Unohana tried her best to catch up with her but can't. Soon, though, after a few wounds from brambles and thorns, she finally managed to catch up because Ayame, for some reason, had stopped running. She was standing in front of a huge boulder, perhaps ten or fifteen feet in height. Or so it seemed. Ayame bade her to come closer._

_"Look!" She whispered. "It's a huge something! I don't know what it is yet but... Come and see!"_

_Unohana came closer and Ayame once more pointed at the huge thing._

_"Whatever it is, it really makes me curious so..." The girl walked towards it and extended her hand. "I'm going to find out for myself."_

_Unohana grasped her friend's hand. "Ayame, wait! You shouldn't! We don't know what it is!"_

_Ayame, though, had already touched the thing's outer layer. It was not that hard as she had imagined. It was rather soft or slimy or a mixture of the two. She ran her hand over it once more and could feel something hard on its right side. She grinned._

_"It feels like a giant frog!" She exclaimed, walking back to Unohana. "Touch it for yourself!"_

_"Uhmm... I don't think so..."_

_Because at that moment, the 'thing' stood up and growled. The sound startled the two girls. It seemed to come from the deepest of caves. There was a loud rumbling in the earth as the 'thing' growled over and over. Finally, it faced the two girls. It had a skull for a head and a huge slimy body. A white, bony claw was on its right hand. Unohana need not tell Ayame what it was. They both knew: they were looking at a Hollow. Immobilized by the strange sight, the two girls just stood there, mouths gaping open, looking at the enormous monster before them. It immediately sensed their presence and walked closer to them. Unohana, having overcome her fright, tugged at Ayame's sleeve._

_"Ayame! We must run!"_

_The girl did not budge. The Hollow moved forward._

_"Ayame!"  
_

_Still nothing. Another step towards them._

_"Ayame!"_

_Nothing. Only three steps away._

_"Ayame!"_

_Still no movement. Closer._

_"Ayame!"_

_It was so close she could feel it breathing. Ayame would not budge, she just stood there, rooted on the spot... And then, with one quick movement of its hands, Ayame was gone. Unohana stood there in utter shock. She looked at the spot where Ayame once stood. Only drops of blood lay there. She looked frantically around her and spotted the girl on one corner of the forest. She ran towards her. Ayame's face was half-hidden by crimson-matted hair and thick, coagulating blood. Unohana ran her hands through her friend's face and laid her head on her chest. She felt nothing. Ayame was dead. Dead... Unohana's eyes felt watery and tears spilled out. She was unaware of the Hollow moving closer. She was not even aware of two pairs of eyes looking at her. The Hollow moved closer. The two figures in the dark also moved closer. She noticed none of these things and was only aware of her friend. Schwing! Zanpakutos unsheathed, one of them jumped out of the darkness and slashed the Hollow in half. It disappeared like glitters in the air after just a few seconds. The figure moved to Unohana and touched her arm._

_"Are you alright?" A kind voice said. "Is she alright?"_

_The figure knelt down beside her. Unohana looked at him. The person beside her was unknown to her, although she could tell by the white robe he wore that he was also a student. An A-ranking student, for that matter.  
_

_"Who are you?" She asked in a shaky voice._

_"My name is not important... What's important is..." His words were cut short by a fit of coughing. He resumed after a few moments. "Are you okay?"_

_"Are you okay?" Unohana replied, returning the question to him._

_Another figure stepped out of the shadows. He knelt beside the first man. He also wore the familiar white robe. Although he looked quite slovenly, she was sure that he too was an A-ranking student.  
_

_"Hey, keep it low..." He lit the lamp he was bringing. "Hey there... So what really happened here and why are you girls here anyway?"_

_Unohana explained to him everything that had happened. She wrung her hands nervously as she did, tears streaming down her face every once in a while. He nodded as she spoke._

_"I think that Hollow you met hypnotized her or something so she didn't move no matter how many times you nudge her. So is she alright?"_

_"I don't think so..." Unohana replied uneasily. "She's not breathing... I can't her a beat."_

_The second guy placed his head on Ayame's chest and shook his head sadly. His face was grave and morose. He threw a look at his companion. The first guy also frowned and sighed.  
_

_"Well, she's not breathing."_

_There was a long pause. A very long pause.  
_

_"What's your name?" The first guy asked._

_"Unohana Retsu."_

_"A student?"_

_"Yes... And you?"  
_

_"Kyoraku Shunsui..." The second one said. "And this here is Jushiro Ukitake. We're also students but I guess we're more advanced by two or three years."_

_Unohana looked at Ayame. Kyoraku shook his head once more. He took out a wine gourd from his enormous sleeve and proceeded to drink from it. He sat down on a nearby rock.  
_

_"No point in looking at her now that she's gone. We'd have to bring her back now."_

_She just nodded sadly and followed them._

_**Back to the present...**_

"Captain!" Isane shook her shoulder. "Captain! Are you alright?"

"What?" Unohana asked. "Is there something wrong?"

"You've been sleeping, I guess... Your're sitting out here and it's terribly cold so I woke you up. Night's almost falling."

The Captain regained her composure and smiled at Isane. "Oh, I'm sorry. Is that so?"

"Yes and... Here are some papers you need to sign."

"Thank you, Isane. You may now leave."

Isane bowed and left. Unohana absentmindedly signed the papers, all the while thinking of those far-away precious days...

- - - - -

**Author's Note**: (01-09-09) Edited this chapter. Added a few things.


	2. Pure memories

_It was the morning of Ayame's memorial. Unohana dressed herself carefully in black. She placed a white butterfly clip on her hair, hoping it would make her look less sad. She aslo added a few more wisps of perfume on her dress and hair. Unfortunately, none of these items could hide her grief. Nothing ever will._

_She applied very little make-up because Ayame once told her it might cause pimples or something like that. She also said that some lipsticks contain some fish substances and Ayame, being the animal lover, disapproved of this and even tried to sue the person who made them in Soul Society. Apparently, she did not succeed. Unohana smiled at these happy thoughts, or at least to how happy they seem. She looked around her room. It should have been _their room_ but since Ayame was gone... Well, the room felt horribly empty. She, too, felt empty and hollow. She sighed and decided to go to Ayame's memorial, no matter how painful it seemed._

_So she went, with a rather heavy heart, to her friend's memorial. There were many people around. Among them were their teacher, Ayame's family in Soul Society, and her boyfriend. Commander-General Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryuusai was there too. She was surprised to find the two shinigamis who saved her two nights before, Ukitake Jushiro and Kyoraku Shunsui, there. She went up to them. Jushiro looked at her and smiled._

_"Thank you for saving me." She said, bowing._

_"That was nothing." The white-haired guy said. "We were also walking around the place when we saw you girls there. Good thing we were bringing our zanpakutos."_

_"Still, thank you."_

_He smiled and frowned a bit. "But why weren't you bringing yours?"_

_"My zanpakuto?" She asked, straightening up. Her eyes held that little confused look._

_"Yes."_

_"I..." She hesitated before answering. "...Have no zanpakuto."_

_"None?" He furrowed his eyebrows a bit. "But why?"_

_"You see... I..." She sighed. "They call me useless because I can't use a zanpakuto."_

_"I see..."_

_The two shinigamis looked casually away and gazed at the cloudless sky. Unohana feared the two of them might move away. That was the usual reaction of people when she told them about her inability to wield the weapon. They would often snob her completely. Ayame was the only loyal friend she had who stuck up for her when times were tough. Other friends would never count as loyal. They were traitors and back-stabbers. She was rather surprised, though, when the two didn't. They were now looking at her with sympathetic eyes._

_"I'm sorry." Jushiro said. "I didn't mean to bring up the subject."_

_"No, no, it's okay..." Unohana replied._

_"Then you're going to join the 4th squad when you graduate?"_

_"Probably... That's where they'd send me anyway."_

_"They?"_

_"My parents here..."_

_"Do they treat you like that?" Kyoraku asked, his eyebrows furrowed. "I mean..."_

_"Useless? Why yes... They always do and they don't hesitate on doing it."_

_"Too bad..." Kyoraku noted._

_"You see, Kyoraku here is from a wealthy family and he probably does not understand. As for me..." Jushiro smiled at her. "I guess, maybe I can since I come from a poor family and I do have five brothers and two sisters."_

_Unohana forced a smile. He seemed to sense her happiness and smiled also._

_"Well, that is the first time I've seen your real smile today. You do have a lovely smile." He noted._

_Unohana blushed at the remark and excused herself to leave. Her heart was just beating too fast for the occasion. As soon as she left, Kyoraku grinned at Jushiro. He was a sly one, after all. His companion felt uneasy at the smile._

_"Looks like someone here found his 'one'." Kyoraku teased. "Well, I guess it's alright."_

_"Are you talking about me?" Jushiro asked, a bit insulted._

_"Were you hurt, my friend?"_

_"Why you--!"_

_Kyoraku held him back. "Hey there, save that for later... Remember where we are, Jushiro."_

_Jushiro smiled, knowing that this was one of his tactics. Evasion._

_The memorial proceeded on with no disturbances. After some prayers, the people close to Ayame were each called to deliver a speech in her memory. When it was time for Unohana to give her speech, her hands were trembling. She managed to walk up in front and gaze at the audience. All eyes were on her. However, one stood out. They were the eyes of Ukitake Jushiro. He was smiling at her from where he sat, obviously to encourage her. She smiled back and began her speech._

_**After the memoial...**_

_Unohana chose to go home immediately after the memorial. She just couldn't stand to have fun when her friend was just buied. However, her plans were cut short. Right after the event, Kyoraku Shunsui had invited her to have 'an innocent dinner' with him and Ukitake. She did not like to disappoint her new-found friends so she agreed. Now, she found herself sitting in front of Ukitake Jushiro, Kyoraku was nowhere in sight. Jushiro, too, was confused._

_"I thought he said it would be the three of us but..." He shook his head. "He disappeared at the last moment."_

_"Oh, is that the case? Then, we might as well start finding him."_

_"I don't know... After all, he said we shouldn't bother searching for him."_

_At that instant, a weary-looking waiter went up to them and handed Jushiro a folded note._

_"Who gave you this note?" He asked coolly._

_The waiter shrugged his shoulders. "Didn't say his name."_

_The waiter left slowly, muttering something under his breath. Jushiro unfolded the note and read it. After some time, he burst into laughter. Unohana looked at him quizzically. Sensing her look of disapproval, he stopped and smiled. He handed her the note and she read it. She did not understand, however, why he laughed. Noting this, Jushiro told her._

_"Well, you see, it says here in this note that Kyoraku would be busy and will do something. If you'd have known him for quite sometime you would know that he wouldn't ever do that. Never ever. He most certainly hates work."_

_Unohana smiled. "So, what are we going to do now?"_

_"Hmm... We're here now so..." He smiled uneasily. "Why don't we grab a bite to eat?"_

_"Well, sure."_

_They spent the afternoon together and Unohana learned much about him. It surprised her, though, that he seemed to be so happy all the time when his life was full of misery. She asked him about this._

_"My secret?" He grinned. "Nothing. I just think happy thoughts."_

_"Like what?"_

_"Like, things will get better someday, for me and for my family."_

_Unohana was quiet for a while. They were approaching a small hill to which they climbed and sat down. The sun was setting in the horizon. It was so quiet that it seemed that time froze. No one spoke for a while, they simply took the scene in. A cool wind was blowing. Jushiro noticed that Unohana shivered a bit. He removed his coat and placed it on her. She seemed rather surprised at his gesture and blushed. Jushiro laughed._

_"Why the sudden blush?"_

_"I've never been... Treated this way before, ever..." She replied shyly, holding the coat about her._

_"Never? Then you will be... From now on." He promised, smiling. "I promise that on this tree here."_

_He pointed at a tree and stood up. He took out a white handkerchief from his pocket and tied it on one of the tree's branches. He went back to her and sat down once more._

_"That's the sign of the promise... I mean to keep it."_

_"Well... What could I say?" She fumbled the words out. "I really can't say anything except... Thanks. You make my life beautiful and warm... Unlike before where it was all dark and cold."_

_He sighed and looked at the setting sun. "I think what you said is not true."_

_"What?" She asked, a tone of slight anger in her soft voice. "What do you mean?"_

_"You know, life never is dark and cold as you say it is. I think there is beauty in everything. All you have to do is search for it."_

_She smiled. "You speak like an elder, do you know that? You seem so... Full of knowledge."_

_He laughed. "You think so? There are still many things I need to know. The world is full of things we don't know."_

_"Do you seriously believe we can know everything when we ourselves cannot feel it?"_

_"I..." He gazed at her. "I don't think so. It's all like love... We'd never really know what love does unless we feel it, right?"_

_She nodded and laid her head on his shoulder. The sun had just set and the breeze was blowing colder and stronger. He touched her hair gingerly and was surprised to how soft it was. He stroked her face with his hands. She closed her eyes as she felt the warmth of his body beside hers. It felt so calm, so refreshing... The moment seemed so perfect._

_"Unohana," He said, a look of dismay on his face. "I certainly am happy about today and I would like to do it again, if you may. But... Don't you think it is getting late?"_

_She nodded. Jushiro stood up and helped her. He offered on bringing her home to which she agreed happily._

_- - - - -_

**Author's Note:** Edited on 01-18-09. Just felt that everything was so cliche and cheesy... I'm getting all giggly inside. Haha.


	3. The hill where the white ribbon lies

The Captain, eyes closed, smiled dreamily in the superficial slumber. A bird's chirping disrupted her thoughts and she awoke, startling herself. Then, Unohana, remembering her task, signed the papers immediately. She called for Isane a few minutes later and handed the documents to her. Isane took them, smilingly. She was about to leave when she recalled something.

"Ah, Captain Unohana! Someone is waiting to see you. He says you should see him immediately."

"Hmm..." Unohana replied, sipping her tea quietly. "Who?"

"He does not want his presence made known."

She laughed softly. "I see. Alright. I'll be down in a minute."

"He says to meet him at 'the hill where the white ribbon lies'." Isane shrugged her shoulders. "It doesn't make sense to me, Captain."

The younger girl wasn't sure but she was certain she saw a flicker of worry in the Captain's eyes. But it lasted only for a mere second. There was no time for her to comprehend what it was.

Unohana smiled. "Of course. You never will make sense of it. Anyway, thank you, Isane-san. You can take the rest of the day off."

"Are you sure, Captain?" Isane asked. "You seem sort of distracted lately."

"Was I?" She said, gazing out again. "I'm sorry. It won't ever happen again."

"I better get going now, Captain."

The Captain nodded and Isane left, leaving her alone. She reached for her zanpakuto and touched the sheath lovingly.

"Now why would he want to see me alone after a long time?" She asked herself. "He makes me wonder why..."

Suddenly, more memories poured out...

_**The painful memories...**_

_"Get out of this house, you hear?"  
_

_The shouts and screams were unbearable especially at that time of the day. It was very early, about 7 in the morning. Rukongai was heavily disturbed. The shouts came from Unohana Retsu's house. Apparently, her parents had been fighting. The people shook their heads, closed their windows, and tried to go back to sleep. No one dared to intervene, even if it was a person's life at stake._

_Unohana, meanwhile, was in her room, trying to shut out the shouts with her bedroom pillow. She didn't know why her parents were fighting. Last night, they seemed so alright with each other. And yet now... She simply could not bare it any longer. Before she knew what was happening, she was already heading out of her bedroom door. She saw her mother in one corner and her father, holding a ceramic vase in both his hands, ready to hit her mother with it. Impulsively, she went in between them. Her father glared at her._

_"Get out of there, kid! You don't know what this is all about! Get out of there and let me kill that woman!"_

_Unohana was quite determined and did not move from her place. Never hesitating, her father brought down the vase on her head, making her feel dizzy. She slumped on the floor and felt something trickling down from her head. She touched it and saw what it was: Blood. Her vision was rapidly receding and soon she fainted._

_**Later...**_

_Unohana opened her eyes. She was in her bedroom. A bandage was tied on her head where the wound was. She touched it and felt a sting of pain. She sat up. As soon as she did, she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was not heavy like her father's nor was it like her mother's. It felt more of soothing and calm. She turned to look and was surprised to see Jushiro there. He was looking at her with sad eyes._

_"You shouldn't sit up yet. I bet you're still dizzy. You should rest."_

_She obediently lay down once more and he pulled the blankets up to her chest. He stroked her face and frowned. Something in his eyes spoke to her. It was more like sympathy, what she saw._

_"You seem pretty shook up by the event, huh?" He asked. "What really happened here?"_

_Unohana hesitated. She feared his reactions to her family's problem but his eyes, full of concern, made her think otherwise. She decided to take the plunge._

_  
"As you see, I have no brothers or sisters. I live alone with my parents, both of them are shinigamis. These days, they've been having problems but I can't figure it out why. They seemed perfectly fine to me for the past years and they seemed to be completely in tune with each other but now... It seemed that ever since I entered the school they've been fighting. I'm thinking of dropping out because of this. That way, they may not fight anymore." She sighed and looked at him for any reaction but his eyes were unmoving. They were still holding that concern. "I've been thinking of it for a while now. I reached my final decision when Ayame died but... Recently, someone has been making my decision look stupid. It doesn't seem right anymore. That person makes me feel that life will always go on no matter what happens." His eyes met hers at this point and she smiled. "And that person is--"_

_Unohana's sentence was cut short because of a sudden noise outside. She wanted to go and see but she knew he wouldn't let her so she asked him to do it. He sighed and shook his head._

_"No, I can't do it. I am forbidden to do anything right now. I'm sorry."_

_"But..."_

_She sat up. Tears flowed from her eyes and she looked away, not wanting him to see her cry. Jushiro laid a hand on her shoulder but she shook him free. He sighed and sat on her bed. Then, gently, he reached out his arms around her body. Unohana did not resist nor did she try to. They just sat there, Jushiro hugging her and Unohana crying her heart out. She faced him and he let her cry on his shoulder. He rocked her very gently and, humming a song, lulled her to sleep. He laid her once more on her bed and kissed her forehead. He then stood up to leave. As soon as he stood up, though, a hand reached out for his. Unohana opened her eyes and forced a smile._

_"That person is you..." She whispered, loud enough for him to hear._

_He smiled back and she let go, falling into deep, untroubled sleep. He pondered over what she said. __**That person is you.**__ The words ran over and over in his mind and it bothered him for a while until he realized what she meant. He simultaneously smiled and blushed when he realized this._

_**Present...**_

Unohana smiled to herself and got up to leave, bringing Minazuki with her. She left the building and that's when she realized that the sun was already getting ready to set. She shook her head.

_Will history repeat itself now?_

She pinched herself when she thought of that. She will not fall for it any longer.


	4. The Meeting

Unohana walked slowly towards the hill. It was almost completely dark when she arrived at the foot of the hill. The last rays of the sun were being swallowed by the fast spreading darkness. She shivered even under all of her garments. A familiar figure of a man was standing there at the top. She sighed to herself and trudged slowly upwards. Upon arriving there, Jushiro immediately spotted her. She went up to him and he smiled a warm, friendly smile. She looked away, trying to avoid his intense gaze.

"Hey there," He said. "Took a long time but you're finally here. It seemed like forever to wait here."

"I know..." She smiled wanly. "I myself am surprised to find myself here beside you. Maybe I shouldn't have come."

"But you're here now and nothing's ever going to change that."

"You're right..." She mumbled.

A long silence ensued. Neither of them knew what to say. Unohana breathed deeply. What was she doing there anyway? Why did she come? What urged her to go there? Was it her own heart? Or her mind?

"Why do you want to see me?" She asked, finally breaking the silence. "Is it because of the ryoka or some other affair?"

"None of those, actually. I called for you because of--"

"Because of the past? You really shouldn't have bothered because nothing will change my mind."

"Sort of like that but, above all, I want to say sorry. It was my entire fault, perhaps... But I never meant to do such a thing. I swear. I never wished I would."

There was a strong emotion of penitence in his voice but she, of course, stood her ground. She was hurt. She was scarred. Nothing will change that.

"It already happened and that's it." She replied coolly.

"I understand if you can't forget but at least, try to forgive me."

"I have forgiven you a long time ago but I remember what happened clearly. It will always leave a mark."

He bowed his head. "I know... I'm sorry, then."

"After all these years? It seems just yesterday when we were still here..." Unohana whispered, remembering that time. "We were together and still..."

"How come you never finish and why do you treat me so coldly? I am not used to it."

"I guess you aren't then..." She paused and turned around to leave. "If that is all you're going to say then I'm going now. Goodbye."

As she turned to leave, Jushiro held her arm. He gripped her tightly. She looked at him but his eyes were unmoving, refusing to let her go so easily. Reluctantly, she turned to face him once more.

"I have one thing more to say." He said, releasing his grip.

She sighed. "Make it quick."

"I've always grieved for loss and this one we lost is very important to me. Very vital to our existence here. I wish to say, we find it back. Bring it back."

"Ukitake-san..."

"It's lost and we need to find it. I don't expect that you'd return to me but at least, let's be friends again, like before?" He asked, smiling. "I don't want to be treated so cold, especially by you."

"Ukitake-san, you have to know that I can't do what you want me to do. I can't forget. I can forgive, but forget? I don't think so. I have to get going now. Goodbye."

She turned once more to go but Jushiro stopped her. He looked at her pleadingly. His grip on her arm seemed tighter than ever. Her eyes refused to look at his face, knowing that it will only lead her to more tears. And she had shed enough.

"Let me go."

"Why do you avoid me?" He asked. "Every time I look your way, you move away or try your best to avoid my gaze. Why is it so? Weren't you the one who said our past is no longer important? But rather... It is our present that is important? Why can't we be friends again? Why can't you treat me like you did years and years ago? Why can't--"

"I am hurt. I am incapable of loving you." She declared openly.

"I do not ask for love, Unohana." He said. "I ask for companionship. I ask for a friend."

His grip seemed less tight, giving her opportunity to move away, which she did. He shook his head sadly when she did so. She turned away.

"Goodbye." She said again. "I never should have come."

Unohana walked away, Jushiro looking at her sadly. He sat down on the hill. The darkness had already engulfed the bright sky.

_Is it the same with me? Will my past overtake me? What have I done wrong?_

He tried his hardest to remember what had happened before he lost her.

_**Flashback...**_

_"Hey there." Jushiro tapped Unohana's shoulder lightly. "How's it going?"_

_"Just fine. Sit by me." She smiled. "How about you?"_

_He sat down beside her. "Thanks."_

_Unohana noticed that he was bringing something and he was hiding it behind his back. She tried to look but he wouldn't let her. Finally, she forced him to do so. She saw a bouquet of fragrant flowers. She took them from him. All the while, he was blushing._

_"Are these for me?" She asked inquisitively. "Or are they for someone else?"_

_"They're for you, actually. I was searching for the right timing to give them to you but you took them first so they're yours now."  
_

_"Thanks! How did you know I love these flowers?" Unohana smiled gratefully. She smelled them eagerly and then placed the bouquet beside her. "What's up? Why are you here?"  
_

_"Just visiting, I guess."_

_She laughed. "Are you here to say something important?"_

_"Well... Yes... I was going to ask you to hang out later."_

_"Later? That would be great! I'd love to. After all, hanging out with the two of you will be the best way to kill time."_

_"Actually, it would just be the two of us..." He said shyly._

_"The two of us?" She considered this for a moment. "Ah... Sure. That would be great too."_

_"See you later?"_

_"Yeah..."_

_"Six?"_

_"Yeah, six."_

_He waved goodbye and went out. Unohana giggled. It was nice of him to ask her out._

_After a few more "dates", they officially became a couple; at least, that was what Kyoraku told them to be. Unohana had liked the idea while Jushiro seemed quite uneasy. Though, in the end, he finally consented._

_One summer day, Jushiro had again asked her to go out. Unohana had gotten ready ten minutes before the allotted time and was about to go out of the house when she looked outside her bedroom window. At first, she just shrugged it off but, looking at it a second time, she knew who and what she was looking at._

_'Is that Jushiro and... Who is that girl he is... Kissing?' Her mind screamed. A rush of emotions filled her innocent heart and she couldn't help it when the tears flowed down her cheeks.  
_

_Sure enough, Jushiro was outside with a girl. Actually, the girl had persuaded him into doing it since she hated Unohana and would want to see an end to her relationship with Jushiro. She succeeded, though, into ending the relationship._

_Unohana, never hesitating even in one second, ran outside to where the two stood and angrily demanded what was happening there. Jushiro looked at her, shocked. The girl ran away even before Unohana had spoken. Unohana walked up to Jushiro, tears in her eyes. She slapped him, hard._

_"How dare you!" She said. "You..."_

_"I didn't! I was just wa--"_

_"I saw it, didn't I? I saw it with my own eyes! You were kissing her and in front of my house! You lied to me when you said I am your only one. You lied when you said there's no other. You lied when--"_

_"I never wished it would happen! I swear! I didn't--"_

_"Didn't mean to? No! You lie!" She turned away. "If you were serious, if you ever were, you'd never let anything like that happen, never..."_

_She walked away, crying and throwing the necklace he gave her. Jushiro picked it up and held it in his hands tightly. He looked at it sorrowfully. What would he do now that Unohana left him? What would be the sense of his life without her? It was just too painful to think of. Looking back twice or thrice, he walked away, quite sure that someday she'd talk to him again. But someday never came. Even when he tried to look her way, she would immediately go or try to avoid his gaze. When he'd try to speak to her, she would talk to other people instead and not mind him. She would not even talk to Kyoraku for sometime. When she did, though, she still spoke to him coldly._

_**Present...**_

Now, the consequences of what he did were steadily appearing.

_Up until now she hasn't forgotten? But why?_

He sighed and noticed that it was already dark. He took something shiny out of his pocket and dug a hole with his hands. He placed the object on the hole and covered it with soil. He then turned to go.

- - - - -

**Author's Note:** Edited: 03-01-09


	5. The End

It was a spledidly peaceful afternoon in Seireitei. The weather was just right for Unohana to sit in the garden in her squad building. A cool wind was blowing and one of the squad members was playing a flute. It was good music, too. A solemn tune was playing and she closed her eyes, taking in the scenery. Suddenly, she felt a light thing on her shoulder. She turned to look at a large black butterfly. She smiled.

"A Captain's meeting?" She asked. "For what?"

The butterfly flapped its wings over and over again.

"Okay, I see."

The butterfly flew away. Unohana stood up and motioned for Isane to come closer. She explained the predicament.

"Yes, ma'am! I will take over the squad while you are gone."

"Good. Make sure that everything is taken care of, Isane."

"Yes."

"I shall take my leave then."

"Take care, Captain Unohana."

Isane sighed as she watched Unohana walking away. A troubling thought crossed her mind but she soon shrugged it off knowing that she could deal with it.

_**CAPTAIN'S MEETING...**_

"That would be all for now." Yamamoto said. "That is all. The meeting is done."

The Captains bowed to each other and left, each to his/her own squad building. Unohana turned to leave, quickly, knowing that someone might overtake her. With this in mind, she went out of the building. Confident that no one was following her, she went on her way. A hand on her shoulder greatly surprised her and the things she was carrying were strewn on the ground.

"Sorry..." He whispered. "Let me help you with that."

Unohana picked up her things. "No thanks." She said coldly, without looking him in the eyes. "I can do this myself."

When at last she was finished picking her things up, Ukitake had already walked over and was now in front of her.

"Can you please move? I am in a hurry and I need to come back quickly. As you know, there are many patients to be taken care of and--"

Ukitake brought her closer to a embrace. At first she was surprised and angered but soon she felt more like it. A fuzzy feeling came over her and she felt a lot better. He released and looked her in the eyes.

"Now, can we talk?" He asked.

"I guess so..." She said staring at the ground, quite regretful of what she had done earlier.

They chatted on while walking. A full hour and a half passed before they arrived at the 4th Squad Building.

"Is is alright for you to walk that far?" She asked, a tinge of concern in her voice.

"Why do you sound so concerned?" He asked teasingly.

"It's because you're of my patients." She said, smiling. "I'll see you then."

Isane looked outside her window. She saw Unohana and Ukitake talking.

_Oh, Captain and Ukitake-taichou are talking... Oh well..._

She looked a second time, not quite believing that what she was seeing was real. But it was and she couldn't believe it.

_Captain Unohana finally talking to Ukitake-san? Impossible! I have to know why..._

She went out hurriedly, almost tripping, and finally reached Unohana.

"Ca-Captain... Did I see it right? Were you really talking to him?"

Unohana blushed. "I-I guess so... Even I myself couldn't quite believe it... After all these years..."

"You've finally forgotten?" Isane asked, helping her. "What happened, I mean..."

"Yes... Completely..."

"But how?"

"He explained his side to me. I guess I was just too stubborn to listen or know what really happened. I didn't mind what he felt... I just prioritized mine. I didn't quite understand it all before but now I do. Well, I guess all of us have what they call beginner's luck in those kind of relationships, right Isane? No one ever really is an expert..."

"Then, Unohana-taichou... You're back to being friends?"

"Yes."

"Then... Could there be a chance you could be... More than friends?"

Unohana blushed hotly. "Wh-what are you saying? That can't..."

"Captain, you're blushing."

"Oh..." She replied, regaining her composure. "Was I? I'm sorry I didn't know but..."

She turned to go to her room.

"We'll see, Isane. We'll see..."


End file.
